Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #71

[SouthAussie]

I know a few military people who would rather pass...
"those likely to receive it first include the most vulnerable, such as the elderly, those with underlying health conditions, workers in essential businesses and the U.S. military."

US Troops Would Be Among First to Get a Working COVID-19 Vaccine, Officials Say

It is a bit concerning, isn't it? And which way does the military go?

On the one hand there are some, like me, who are growing concerned about the frailty of the US right now. Isolated from the world due to rampant covid. With US military obviously falling sick ... as we have evidenced by US military bringing covid into our own countries and trying to cover it up. Indicating that there is perhaps rampant covid among the US-based military as well.

On the other hand, what effect is a vaccine going to have on military personnel? If a vaccine is rushed through without proper long-term test results. Military personnel have been used as guinea pigs in the past, and have been exposed to dangerous high dose chest radiation for TB testing (as my RAF mum was) as well as the horrible effects of Agent Orange, among other things.

 

[weepingangel]

Gov. Baker, Mike Pence Meet on Nantucket to Discuss Coronavirus Response
More and brief video at link
"I thank you for your strong, steady leadership, " Pence said in an appearance with Baker at Nantucket Memorial Airport. "We're with you, and we're going to stay with you every step of the way until we put the coronavirus in the past.''
Baker, a Republican who didn't vote for Trump in 2016, has at times been critical of the Trump administration's response to the pandemic, including when the state's personal protective equipment went missing during the start of the outbreak.

Nantucket Sees Increase of Coronavirus Cases With Arrival of Summer Crowd
Speaking of Nantucket/more at link

Local health officials on the island off Cape Cod say 24 of the island’s total 38 cases have come in the past month, with nine of them reported in roughly the last week.
Roughly 60% of those who have tested positive on the island are in their 20s and 30s, though a man in his 80s has died, town officials said.
Nantucket officials say the rise in cases is attributed to increased virus testing and the arrival of the summer vacation crowd.

Mass. Doctor, State Rep. Says He's 'Thankful' for Baker's Travel Order
More at link
A Massachusetts state representative, who also works as an emergency room physician at a Boston hospital, says he supports Gov. Charlie Baker's decision to clamp down on travel into Massachusetts.

“I am thankful he is moving forward with this and I look forward to enacting more preventative practices so we can avoid a second surge here,” said Dr. Jon Santiago, who works at the Boston Medical Center and has represented the 9th Suffolk district since 2019.
Per Baker's travel mandate, all visitors and residents returning to Massachusetts from high-risk states must quarantine for 14 days or produce a negative COVID-19 test or face a $500 a day fine.

“My greatest concern is that we will be back in the position we were three or four months ago,” said Dr. Santiago, who was in the thick of the COVID-19 surge in the spring.

 

[10ofRods]

Just catching up Global News... WHO saying As of Friday gone, EVERY COUNTRY ON THE PLANET has now reported cases of the virus! Wow!! Also, CNN saying a documentary will be aired in the coming days, focusing on a conspiracy theory, accusing poor Dr Fauci of creating the Coronavirus!! What is wrong with people?? How damaging and dangerous that could be for his and his family lives!! Planting seeds like that between the ears of empty headed people is not good!! You know what, I remember being sick and tired of BREXIT. I remember being sick and tired of Covid-19. Right now, I am sick and tired of aaall the drama surrounding masks, mandates, lockdowns and whatnot. I just pray to God that when this is finally over with, that it is those dramatic anti-mask idiots who make up the statistics in the overall death count from this virus. Instead of people who have persevered doing what is morally right! God forgive me for wishing death on anybody, Amen X

The only thing I can think of is...cultural psychosis. Like...in some cultures, a belief catches on that an outside observer would think is...delusional. Such as a belief that sacrificing virgins (or 1 virgin or whatever) is going to solve/cure X problem.

In real life, back in Medieval Times (when people were smart but not well-educated), no one knew what caused disease and pestilence. Today, people still confuse bacteria with viruses - and many don't really understand either.

Now a Really Bad Event is occurring (and lots of people have not seen it with their eyes yet) so they hear about it, or hear rumors about conspiracies and death certificates...and it takes off. Even very reasonable people are worried enough that they are not going about their usual ways.

People are not, for example, keeping up routine appointments with doctors, dentists, hair stylists, nails, etc. So there's no overall real world discussion, people rely on the internet (and often just on FB). Their minds are now ripe for a tiny break from reality - and CoVid is too much to consider, so they make up their minds that it doesn't exist.

Or if it exists, it won't hurt them. And it hasn't so far, so they're right.

Right now only about 1.5% of US citizens have had CoVId. If CoVid goes exponential (as it appears right now), then soon it will be 3% affected. Even COVId deniers will be unhappy if someone at work says they were sneezing and cough on them (to the contact tracer) and then the workplace is shut down. But for most people, there have been no consequences (no reality testing).

 

[Deleted member 158085]

Could one of you who has an android please do me a favor and see if you are able to turn the Covid19 tracker on your phone on? I know I turned mine on when it first came out. Now it's off and it will not allow me to enable notifications again. After dinking around for 30 minutes, it occurred to me that the app itself may be having issues.

 

[Migmuu]

I am 100% convinced that, if Congress goes on recess without extending the weekly $600 (at least in part) and allows the eviction moratorium to end, we are going to see civil unrest in this country that will make the George Floyd riots look like a picnic. They cannot be so stupid as to think they can throw millions of Americans out of their homes and force millions more into poverty without people fighting back... not to mention all the parents who'd be forced to choose between homelessness (by staying home so the kids don't have to go to school) and sending their kids into a dangerous environment so they can work to keep a roof over their heads.

And, seeing how Trump has handled the protests in Portland, I have no doubt he will try to use the feds to clamp down on these new, theoretical protests. And that's when **** will really hit the fan.

I hope I'm wrong. I hope I'm just reading too much news and it's warping my perception of how things actually are. But I feel like we are in a van going 90 mph towards a cliff and the brakes aren't working.

 

[Cool Cats]

This color-coded chart will help you decide when to leave the house during the pandemic

 

[tabitha111]

Just catching up Global News... WHO saying As of Friday gone, EVERY COUNTRY ON THE PLANET has now reported cases of the virus! Wow!! Also, CNN saying a documentary will be aired in the coming days, focusing on a conspiracy theory, accusing poor Dr Fauci of creating the Coronavirus!! What is wrong with people?? How damaging and dangerous that could be for his and his family lives!! Planting seeds like that between the ears of empty headed people is not good!! You know what, I remember being sick and tired of BREXIT. I remember being sick and tired of Covid-19. Right now, I am sick and tired of aaall the drama surrounding masks, mandates, lockdowns and whatnot. I just pray to God that when this is finally over with, that it is those dramatic anti-mask idiots who make up the statistics in the overall death count from this virus. Instead of people who have persevered doing what is morally right! God forgive me for wishing death on anybody, Amen X

The documentary is the one called Plandemic. Sinclair Broadcasting was going to air it, but due to public backlash, they retracted and are not going to. So no worries there. Putting MOO on it because I'm on my tablet and can't link an article, but all of this happened today.

 

[anneg]

Yup. Not being done and getting worse. I drove by a house today that had a flipping bouncy house in the front yard and about a dozen cars. I watched 60 year olds approach others with no mask. There were no masks anywhere. They seem to think that because we're rural there is no risk.

How bad does it have to get for people to take this seriously? How many people have to die? I just don't get it.

There seems to be much variation in how people perceive risk. Some of our male friends (most in their 70s, like DH and me) are pretty unconcerned about getting the virus, but they at least wear masks in public. The wives are more concerned and cautious.

I was scared to death of the virus in the spring and was convinced that DH and I would die if we got COVID. But my perception of the risk has changed somewhat over time. Partly that's because of COVID fatigue, I think. I've even done what some of you WSers have done--walked in a store without my mask on (it was in my purse and I quickly put it on). Well, that shocked me, that I could do such a thing!

We don't know anyone who has had the virus, and those who have died in my zip code have all been nursing home residents except one, I believe. And there is hope in the former of better treatments and a vaccine in the future.

I think I can understand why people in rural areas would feel relatively safe, if there are no or just a few cases in their area. But assuming you are safe seems foolish to me.

 

[10ofRods]

They all will if they don’t want to have an uptick in cases.

In that case, perhaps they ought not to have gone in the first place? I'm not sure that the quarantined travelers were really keen on containing CoVid to begin with.

 

[Spider92]

The geometry of the pandemic in America
The Economist has had some good coverage this week on COVID including this piece where they explain how the U.S. re-opened much earlier on the curve than Western Europe.
Anecdotally, I went to the beach today and saw very few masks. I was the object of a few snickers and giggles when I sat in my beach chair fully masked......and those were from just my spouse and kids.

 

[Victoria Chambers]

I am 100% convinced that, if Congress goes on recess without extending the weekly $600 (at least in part) and allows the eviction moratorium to end, we are going to see civil unrest in this country that will make the George Floyd riots look like a picnic. They cannot be so stupid as to think they can throw millions of Americans out of their homes and force millions more into poverty without people fighting back... not to mention all the parents who'd be forced to choose between homelessness (by staying home so the kids don't have to go to school) and sending their kids into a dangerous environment so they can work to keep a roof over their heads.

And, seeing how Trump has handled the protests in Portland, I have no doubt he will try to use the feds to clamp down on these new, theoretical protests. And that's when **** will really hit the fan.

I hope I'm wrong. I hope I'm just reading too much news and it's warping my perception of how things actually are. But I feel like we are in a van going 90 mph towards a cliff and the brakes aren't working.

I agree with you. Our Government made Lockdown much easier for us to accept by basically paying us all to stay at home but to be honest, the Government has probably saved itself money that way because Had the people not had the financial help they received, the Country would have been looted and stripped to it's bare pavement. In this day and age, there is not a person on this planet who should go hungry. And don't get me started on people sleeping in shop doorways- opposite derelict buildings being left to rot. It's wrong. But you know.. people will only ever treat us How we allow ourselves to be treated! X

 

[MimosaMornings]

"COVID fatigue" is hitting hard. Fighting it is hard, too, says UC Davis Health psychologist

We’re tired of being cooped up, tired of being careful, tired of being scared. Our collective fatigue is making some people careless – one reason COVID-19 is rising sharply again in California and throughout the U.S.”

 

[musicaljoke]

Could one of you who has an android please do me a favor and see if you are able to turn the Covid19 tracker on your phone on? I know I turned mine on when it first came out. Now it's off and it will not allow me to enable notifications again. After dinking around for 30 minutes, it occurred to me that the app itself may be having issues.

I'm on an old ipad. A while ago I was able to access the covid counter w/o having Java Script on, but that changed recently, and now it's not accessible unless Java is turned on.

 

[MajorHoople]

North Korea declares state of emergency after Kim meets advisers to discuss 'first coronavirus case' | Daily Mail Online

"North Korea has declared a state of emergency after a person suspected of having coronavirus entered the country.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un convened an emergency politburo meeting after the person suspected of having COVID-19 entered from South Korea by illegally crossing the border this month, state media said on Sunday.

If confirmed, it would be the first case officially acknowledged by North Korean authorities, who have so far said the country has no confirmed cases of the disease.

Kim declared a state of emergency and imposed a lockdown on the border city of Kaesong, calling it a 'critical situation in which the vicious virus could be said to have entered the country,' state news agency KCNA reported."

 

[Sundog]

There are several televangelist out there who are espousing various outlandish theories about coronavirus. Here's just one:
That vaccine is from the pit of Hell. Do not pray for those vaccines, and do not take the vaccine. These vaccines are going to be coming, they are not going to be good. They’re not good for you physically, and spiritually, they’re a set-up for what shall come later.
Right-Wing Pastor: Avoid COVID-19 Vaccines Since They’re from the “Pit of Hell”

Is this MSM? Name of publication is Friendly Atheist.

 

[MsArk]

A couple of weeks ago the city hall in my town of 40,000 was closed for deep cleaning due to a positive case. This afternoon I heard the 47 yo female city grant writer died. Our county has had an increase of 200 cases in one week. I’m more careful now than I ever was back in March/April/May.

 

[realanastasia]

I mean I think our problem is fivefold in this country and why our numbers are so high:

1. Minimization of a major health crisis due to politics.
3. No real safety nets for Americans who can lose their shirts with lockdowns.
4. A cultural disdain for expertise and science.
5. A novel virus with evolving information and also some misinformation- whether purposefully or not purposefully given to the public - about the disease, how it spreads and how to prevent it.

Curious about what you think #2 is!

 

[Deleted member 158085]

There seems to be much variation in how people perceive risk. Some of our male friends (most in their 70s, like DH and me) are pretty unconcerned about getting the virus, but they at least wear masks in public. The wives are more concerned and cautious.

I was scared to death of the virus in the spring and was convinced that DH and I would die if we got COVID. But my perception of the risk has changed somewhat over time. Partly that's because of COVID fatigue, I think. I've even done what some of you WSers have done--walked in a store without my mask on (it was in my purse and I quickly put it on). Well, that shocked me, that I could do such a thing!

We don't know anyone who has had the virus, and those who have died in my zip code have all been nursing home residents except one, I believe. And there is hope in the former of better treatments and a vaccine in the future.

I think I can understand why people in rural areas would feel relatively safe, if there are no or just a few cases in their area. But assuming you are safe seems foolish to me.

There are more than a few cases in tiny town. So I can’t understand the behavior here.

I mean, a GD bouncy house and apparently BBQ or something. Probably complete with a kid blowing out his candles and blowing god know what on the cake.

 

[SouthAussie]

I really cannot see an South Korean going to North Korea willingly.

It is an extremely militarised border - hard to see how someone got across it. But then it is hard to see how anyone with the virus would get into North Korea .... from anywhere.

Families have been divided by the North/South Korea border and never see each other, except for one meeting that was allowed a couple of years ago. But it was said to be the first and last meeting.

Tears and joy as Korean families reunite

 

[Clair Louise]

It is an extremely militarised border - hard to see how someone got across it. But then it is hard to see how anyone with the virus would get into North Korea .... from anywhere.

Families have been divided by the North/South Korea border and never see each other, except for one meeting that was allowed a couple of years ago. But it was said to be the first and last meeting.

Tears and joy as Korean families reunite

There are still some private tourist companies offering tours to NK. That is how that student that they sent back in a coma got in. Several from China.